After Almost-Armageddon
by Lucky-Racer
Summary: After Book 2. Team Avatar has gone their separate ways. Bolin is a mover star, but his life is lonely without Korra. Asami is barely making ends meet, and she does NOT need Mako complicating things. Mako needs to sort out his feelings for his two beautiful friends. How will the two boys /ever/ manage to sort out their love lives and come away unscathed?
1. Bolin

_**A/n:** Hi, guys! I really hope you like this. _**Please review**_ and tell me what you think :) I know it's short, but more to come soon!_

**After Almost-Armageddon, Chapter 1: Bolin**

Bolin laced his fingers together behind his head, leaning back in his hot tub, trying to exhale his stress away. It was the end of another long day of acting, and all he wanted to do was to relax. _I am still surprised at how quickly Varrick started making a new mover, considering the world almost ended and all,_ he thought. He supposed he shouldn't be _too_ taken aback, especially considering how… opportunistic the man was. Bolin frowned, cracked his knuckles, and tried to massage out a twinging ache from his calf.

He wasn't going to lie; the life of an actor was hard work. The inner poor-kid in his head scorned him for ever even _contemplating_ that notion, much less believing it, but… it was true. Even though it was difficult enough scraping for money and barely having enough to survive, at least he had always had Mako. But once they had enough money to make ends meet, Bolin had learned that additional money didn't seem to buy happiness. Sure, the hot tub, fancy clothes, and life-sized marble statue of himself were all nice – but as he had remarked to Asami the night of the final premier of _Nuktuk_: it wasn't much, or, seemed like a lot less, when you didn't have anyone to share it with. Retrospectively, he thought she could probably understand it better than he thought, but she had always at least had her dad or, more recently, Mako.

_Big brother. _ Even though Bolin knew he annoyed the brains out of Mako at times, they had lived together for so long! And he had always at least had someone to talk to. _Make that a human someone._ He smiled. At least Pabu was still around. His furry companion, though not able to talk back, had proven to be a great friend nonetheless. But Bolin still yearned for a human to have a real conversation with, outside of work – especially a _female_ human.

He fought off a sudden cold chill when a vivid image of Eska popped into his head. He had always wondered what was under that coat- _stop it, Bolin,_ he chided himself. Best not to travel down that road with an ex. Remembering his and Eska's crazy kiss, he mused about what Mako had thought. His brother was under the impression that Bolin had simply tricked the fearsome waterbender into believing that he loved her in order to escape from their icy prisons. He sighed again from deep in his belly, expelling the air forcefully out of his lungs. Slowly raking his fingers through his hair, he coated the strands in hot water. He still wasn't sure exactly how he felt – _had_ felt about Eska, he corrected. How much of it had he faked, the second time around? The kiss had been nice enough, in a desperate I'm-trying-to-kiss-you-while-still-encased-in-an-ice-block-and-scared-shitless-that-armageddon-is-here sort of way.

That's what made this acting stuff tricky. After a while, the line between reality and fiction started to blur. The juxtaposition of himself saving the president in real life during the climax of the _Nuktuk_ finale was a chilling testament to just that. Just when he had started to actually think that some of the acting would translate to real life, such as moving his and Ginger's on-screen relationship to something actually tangible off-screen, of course, the buxom little minx had to stomp on his hopes.

"These damn _women_!" he yelled, pounding his fists into the water in frustration. The water slapped his triceps before yielding, sending a wave over the side in the process. Pabu, who had been napping near the tub, shrieked as the deluge hit him. "Oops, sorry little buddy," Bolin apologized, smiling with chagrin – an emotion brought on both from soaking his pet and the memories.

He rolled his eyes at himself._ Besides,_ he thought, _don't even get me _started_ on Korra._ Remembering the blissful date he had spent with Korra, his cheeks heated. He had acted like such a doofus; it was no wonder that she didn't want him. Annoyed that the memory could still affect him, he shook his head to himself in disbelief. A pang of sadness stabbed his gut. It was a mixture of longing and misery, coupled together…

_Misery?! Come on, guy. Get your head on straight,_ his brain snapped at him.

Still. He had had ample fangirls as a Pro Bender, and had even more now as a mover star. Why weren't any of them suitable?

_They're not her,_ inner-Bolin said, not impatiently. Was it true that he was putting on a front of trying to find a new girl while secretly burning for the Avatar?

Was it true that he had actually felt relieved when Eska announced that she wasn't coming to Republic City to be with him? Could he actually have felt quite more ecstatic inside instead of empathy for Mako when his brother and Korra split for the second time?

Pabu finally seemed to be feeling better, re-settling in front of the tub's heater to dry. Bolin finally got out of the tub and toweled off, settling down beside his furry friend and stroking the ferret's fur. "Oh, Pabu," Bolin remarked. "Why does this always happen to me? Why am I so…alone?"

As always, the ferret's whiskers twitched and he could offer no reply. But, it was still better than nothing.


	2. Asami

_**A/n:**__ Hi guys! I'm back again, hope you like it. :) Please drop me a **review :D** and let me know what you think. Love you all!  
>Ch. 2 first uploaded 125/14_

**After Almost-Armageddon, Chapter 2: Asami**

Asami somehow managed to feel stressed out, even though the world had almost ended a few weeks ago. _How could anything be more stressful than the world almost ending?!_ she thought, annoyed by the whole thing. She supposed that it was always relatively easy to return to a routine after a disruption, rather than the alternative. Everyday life was a much better option than Vaatu reigning. Upon this reflection, Asami decided that feeling stressed was still better than the option of eternal darkness.

Striding down the streets of Republic City back to her apartment – she'd sold the house to keep her business afloat during the tumultuous times while Varrick was in jail – she caught herself hunching her shoulders together and made herself ease them down to a more normal posture. Thinking about her old mansion, she supposed that it was just as well. The president himself had given her the legal green light to sell it, because of "extenuating circumstances", even though it legally still belonged to her father. She sure as hell didn't want any reminders of the man – one of the men – who had broken her heart; she surely wanted to live constantly in a reminder even less. There was no way she could live in the house and not think of him.

_Living is a better alternative…On most days,_ she thought wryly, full ruby lips turning up on one side, though it was not a true smile.

At least today had turned out well. Varrick was finally out of jail and he and Asami had come to an understanding as business partners. Asami couldn't hold a grudge for the life of her, and was quick to forgive the eccentric fellow nonbender for stealing all of her equipment and mecha tanks during the Water Tribe civil war. She understood where he was coming from, he had just wanted help for a cause he cared about – though it probably didn't hurt that he was actually right about Unalaq being a crazy, power-hungry monster. Apparently the President understood, too, because he gave Varrick a full pardon, despite being almost kidnapped and all.

"Ma'am… please, help me," a raspy voice sounded as bony fingers reached out to her from the side of the road. Her attention drawn to the crippled beggar, she flipped a coin into his cup. She heightened her awareness as she moved into her neighborhood. It wasn't the worst part of town, but it was definitely worse than what she grew up in.

Similarly, her apartment was fairly drab, considering she hadn't had much time to make it homey. Plain but sturdy furniture were the only adornments to the muted color scheme. Once inside, she took her coat off with relief. She stripped down to an undershirt and removed her shoes, stomach grumbling. She set a pot of water on the stove in preparation for cooking, along with some spices. The water would take_ forever_ to boil because of the low-grade appliance, but it was better than nothing. She had just settled down to wait when she heard a knock at the door.

Whoever it was didn't even wait for her to answer, they just burst right in.

"You shouldn't be living here. This area isn't safe, Asami!"

Correction, _Mako_ had just burst into her apartment. And on top of that, he was actually rebuking her.

"I'm serious. I'm a cop, for goodness' sake. I know these things," the firebender preached. This just got better and better.

Fighting down her surprise, among other tangled emotions, she breathed in deeply through her nose and out through her mouth to try and calm her suddenly racing heart. Silly her, for not locking her door right away. With her second breath she rose from the couch, eyes narrowed to slits. "And just _what_ are you doing here?"

"Saving you some trouble. I'm helping you move back to your house, where you belong."

Asami stuck her chin out. "You can't. I sold it. And I can't be put into a box like that, Mako. I'm not like other girls that grew up wealthy."

His face relaxed ever so slightly; it was almost imperceptible. "I know, but…you sold it? To who! Who had enough money and interest to buy it so quickly?"

Her cheeks reddened. "It's none of your business. How did you even know where to find me? You didn't ask your brother where I live, right? You wouldn't actually do that? Violate my privacy like that?"

His hard stare didn't let up. The oddly-shaped eyebrows that always made him look so serious slanted downwards. After several long moments, though, Mako seemed to fold. He shrugged ever so slightly, a noncommittal gesture. "Asami. Please. I'm just thinking of your safety, here. It's because I care about you. Remember?"

Asami's mouth opened and closed a few times in anger, and she was sure she looked like a fish, but she couldn't believe what was happening. "Haven't you already had enough fun with my heart?"

It seemed silence was the route he was taking, how typical, because he didn't say anything, just gazed balefully at her. Hardly an invitation to continue. But, for some reason, she thought he was waiting for her to get out all her frustrations, rage, bitterness that she'd kept inside and masked with politeness for the sake of Team Avatar. Well, fine! He'd asked for it!

Where to begin? She closed her eyes slowly, gathering her thoughts, trying to make a list of every hurt she wanted to articulate to him. It was as if remembering for herself, and throwing it back at him, it would make him hurt, too. She _knew_ that it would hurt him, and it was the least he could suffer for treating her that way in the first place.

Opening her eyes again, trying to keep the tears from showing, she sucked in a deep breath through clenched teeth. "I'm just…I'm so mad at myself. I kicked myself for weeks after you left the first time. Weeks, Mako. For not seeing the signs. I mean, even when Bolin told me about the kiss, I still wanted to believe the best. And every time you rushed to her after something happened. When you carried her like a poor baby bird in your arms. Every time you left my side to go to hers – literally and figuratively."

"Asami..." Mako said, long face distraught and eyebrows knitted together.

"No. You treated me like a second-rate woman. And you know the horrible part? I actually thought we would be together, a second time. And I saw you do the exact same thing to me. A. Second. Time. **MAKO!** Two times! How!? How could you do that to me?" Her beautiful pale skin was flushed high on her cheekbones. "Do you have any idea how it feels? What it does to a one's self-esteem?"

This is what twisted her heart so badly. _Korra._ The name was like poison in her mouth, she hated that little girl, she really did. Jealousy clawed its way into her up her lungs into her throat and took her breath away, almost choking her. But what was really horrible was…Asami actually liked the Avatar. The younger girl was brave, and fun, and unpredictable. They would've made great best friends, in any other situation, and on a normal day Asami felt sorrow that they couldn't be closer.

But not today.

"Mako, please… if you have any feelings left for me at all, I don't care what kind right now. Platonic, romantic, whatever, if you feel a shred of _anything_. You'll leave. Just walk out that door, and leave me alone." It was getting hard to speak, and her throat felt swollen._ Dammit, just get out before the waterworks start!_ She crossed her arms and stared stoically at the man, willing him to leave. She just couldn't do it. Not today.

He stared back and was still for a long moment. Then two, then three long moments. She could almost see him teetering on the brink between heeding her words and not. _Please, just leave, _she begged mentally. Finally, he twisted on his heel and kicked the door on the way out, but before he had left, he shot a sphere of flame towards her cooking pot.

As the door slammed shut, a large cloud of steam escaped the pot. The tension brought on by the sudden emotionally-charged encounter eased away as she walked over to investigate.

A few tears managed to leak out of her eyes, her mind still brooding on the past. Upon seeing what had happened to her cooking water, though, her mood suddenly, almost manically lifted, and she clamped her fingers hard over her mouth to keep the laughter from bubbling out.

The water was boiling.


	3. Korra

_**A/n:**__ Sorry for the wait on this one! I originally wanted to upload it in early Feb, but due to some twists and turns in my job search, I haven't had the time. Long story short, I'm moving across the country this next month to come, so it will most likely continue to affect me. But regardless, I hope you enjoy :D_

_Thanks for reading,&& drop me a review for comments/constructive criticism/whatever :)  
>Ch. 3 first uploaded 43/2014_

**After-Almost Armageddon – Chapter 3: Korra**

It was dusk. After a long day of training, Korra was progressing through a series of stretches near the training area on Air Temple Island. The young Avatar was finally appreciating the fact that Tenzin was the sole airbending master left – in the _world._ Sure, Aang had been a fantastic airbender in his day, but Korra wouldn't have learned bending from him anyway, even if she _could_ still talk to her past-lives. A pang of hollow loss suddenly shot up from her stomach, and she almost fell out of the low plank she was holding. _Even if I could still talk to my past-lives. _She willed a tear not to spill out of her eye as a wave of sadness washed over her.

Korra might have been surprised at the intensity of the emotion a mere year ago, but in that amount of time so much had happened between her and her past-lives. Aang had helped her during one of the scariest times of her life, when Amon's reign of terrorism had gripped Republic City. Korra knew that without the knowledge Aang had shared with her, about the origin of the Equalist leader, she would have never been able to cut the heart out of the revolution. She _might_ have still been able to beat Amon, but without exposing him to his followers, they never would have believed that he was a fraud. His second-in-command would have quickly taken up the reins, and though the Equalist faction might have been crippled without their favorite leader, Korra had a strong suspicion that they would have been a lot harder to dissuade.

As the Avatar, it would have been her job to make peace in the city again and help ease the tension that had developed anyway, but the fact that the Equalist faction had grown so large was unsettling to Korra, in retrospect. She was actually somewhat lucky that Amon had been leading it. If he there had been a genuine leader, the group might have had more legitimate momentum. _But they were also misguided by his false "spirit-given" ability to take others' bending away,_ she thought. Shrugging slightly, though the gesture was hard in the position, she shifted into the Snake pose.

She thought again back to her past-lives. They had rescued her from literally the lowest point in her life, when she had been stripped of three of her four bending elements. Earth-, fire-, and her precious waterbending had all been taken from her when the gracious spirit-memories of the previous Avatars had given them back to her. She knew there was no other way for the elements to have been restored.

And lastly, the previous lives had helped her again, to learn the origin of the Avatar legacy. A tear actually did fall, now that she thought of all the knowledge she had lost. She would never be able to hear from Wan again, or talk to any other previous Avatar. Tenzin thought there was a way that she might be able to establish a spiritual connection of some kind again, if she became a true spiritual master. However, Korra had her doubts. Even though she had progressed steadily in her spiritual mastery, she didn't think that even a spiritual master could bring back the past-lives when they had been destroyed so thoroughly. She hoped she didn't cling to that belief solely to make herself feel more reassured.

Inhaling deeply, trying to use all of her lung volume, she expelled the breath through her mouth, the classic way to breathe during this exercise. There were multiple stages to the poses, and they increased in difficulty. The Avatar was just sticking to the easiest difficulty this particular evening, so that she could concentrate fully on her mental state. The exercise had a twofold benefit. The first benefit was widely known – a release of tension, increased flexibility and less muscle soreness post-workout. However, if one knew how, spiritual energy could be channeled if one was taught how.

She could _feel_ it, the becoming one with her spiritual self. It was unlike anything in this world, and rightly so, because the spirits had one of their own.

"Oh, hey, Korra!"

Startled, one of her hands fell out of position and she clomped to the ground with all the grace of a rock.

_What_-

"Fancy seeing you here! Well, ya know. Besides the fact that you live here, and all. And spend most of your time training here. Heh, heh, heh…"

Rubbing her side, where she had tumbled off of her mat and to the stone, she rolled over, and glared up at the mass blocking out the light from the moon. The moon was always special to waterbenders, and for an instant she felt a flash of annoyance. Or maybe that was the fact that she felt like a turtle knocked onto its back.

"Sorry about that. Here," the mass extended an arm and her eyes finally adjusted.

Grimacing, she put her hand lightly in his, and only long enough to be helped up before taking it back hastily. She scowled at him slightly.

Unruffled, Bolin just smiled. "What? I thought you'd be happy to see your favorite earthbender."

"On most days," she corrected. "Favorite earthbender on most days."

His smile quickly turned into a giant pouty-lip, but she knew he was still grinning hugely on the inside. "Come on, who else would even come close? Beifong? Not likely."

Korra rolled her eyes at his whole demeanor, trying not to be amused. "We're actually getting much closer now, thank you. She can actually stand me, now that I restored her bending to her."

He squinted at her. "I dunnooo... "

"Bolin!" She punched him in the arm. "She even saved my life!"

He turned serious suddenly. "And we are grateful for that."

Caught by his mood change, she suddenly felt tension in the air. It was strange, part awkwardness and part sexual tension. Korra was suddenly glad for her deep skin tone, which hid her blush quite well. She kicked herself mentally. _Get a grip! Just be glad that he dropped the joke! For all you know, he could've kept it up for weeks. _

Bolin seemed to finally notice it. He cleared his throat, sounding like a gunshot in the silence. "So, ah… how are…things?"

She arched an eyebrow mildly. "You crossed the Bay just to disturb my end-of-the-day routine, and it's already night. You came here just to ask how 'things' are?"

It was Bolin's turn to blush. "Ah… yes?"

Korra pressed her lips together hard in a monumental effort to not burst into laughter. "Bolin. You know you don't need a reason to visit, but, really. I thought you'd be busy, and, well… why wouldn't you come during the day?"

The mover star was jolted back to reality. "Oh, yes, yes… I just… I've been so busy, and… "A faint crease appeared between his brows, as if he wasn't quite sure how she would react. He was staring at her with the expression one might show a wild animal that they hoped wouldn't bolt. "I just realized how much I missed us, you know?"

Once again, the blood flowed to her cheeks. "I… don't know….actually…"

"I mean, oh, right, of course not _us_ us. As in _couple_ us, us. Which I mean, that didn't even really...happen…well, it happened but it wasn't very long and not that I didn't – don't – want that, I would love it- "

"You _would_?!"

The poor guy blanched for a minute as he realized what he had just said. He hastily continued, "What I _mean_ to say is, I miss everything about the old days. The Fire Ferrets. Hell, even Mako. Who am I kidding, especially Mako. And Asami. Team Avatar. Fighting bad guys, working together. And...you, Korra. I miss you." He stretched across the distance between them, which was easy because of his long arms, but hesitated at the end and let his arm fall back down.

"I…I miss you too, Bolin. And Team Avatar. ….and, and everyone," She finished, eyes widening slightly. She hadn't even realized how much it was true until this moment.

"What… what happened to us, Korra? We all used to be so close." She had never quite seen him look so serious, the stars reflecting off his eyes. He managed to look solemn and hopeful at the same time. She tried not to stare at the smooth marble of his face, struck by how vulnerable he looked. Bolin, who was reliable as a cornerstone and steady as the Earth itself.

"I suppose," she mused somberly, following his gaze out to the sky, "life did."


End file.
